


Mother-hen

by Emilia3546



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Cassian is a mother-hen, F/M, Fluff, Foreplay, Illyrian Nesta Archeron, flinching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27933643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilia3546/pseuds/Emilia3546
Summary: Nesta gets back from an enemy war-camp, and argues with Cassian about going alone.
Relationships: Nesta Archeron/Cassian, Nesta Archeron/Tomas Mandray
Kudos: 40





	Mother-hen

"General! We found her." Cassian whirled around to face the male now stalking towards him,

"Where?"

"She went to Ironcrest, alone."

"She did _what?"_

"We took her back to your house, she's unharmed."

"Thank you." He managed to say, before shooting into the sky and sprinting for home. He almost threw the door off its hinges as he burst in, "Nes? Nesta!" He called, barely holding back the panic from rising again.

"I'm here." A soft voice called from their living room, and Cassian ran straight for her, only relaxing when he found her sitting in her favorite spot on the couch, indeed unharmed. He sank down beside her, taking both of her hands, simply convincing himself that she was here, that she was safe again.

"What were you thinking?" He whispered, squeezing gently, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I was thinking that I could get in and see what was going on. They change when you go, I saw for real what it's like."

"It was dangerous."

"So? You do things that are dangerous all the time."

"And I've been training for over half a century, you've only been training for a few months."

"I didn't need to fight, I just had to get in, and out."

"And what if someone had recognized you?" He stood, pacing in front of her, "What if someone had hurt you? Captured you?" He stopped in front of her again, worry glimmering in his eyes, "Please tell me you understand how reckless it was?"

"Reckless? You're one to talk." She surged to her feet, "You can't help yourself! You just have to fly headfirst into danger without a second thought! You nearly died three times in the last war! Knowing what is actually going on will make it safer, for you, for everyone! Especially if this mess turns violent." He softened, and understanding shone in his eyes,

"Just, let me in on the plans first, okay? I was worried."

"I know, but you'd have tried to stop me, and then done something reckless yourself."

"Nesta. I can't deal with Kallon and others stirring up the Illyrians when you run off without warning, I can't, it's too much all at once." He stepped closer, and reached to cup her face, but she flinched away. He froze. 

"I'm sorry." She whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Nes." Fear, that was fear in her eyes, devastation spread across his features,

"It, it's not you, I promise."

"Nes." Still, he didn't move any closer, letting her step away slightly

"I'm sorry. I-"

"Who hurt you?"

"It's fine."

"No it's not, who hurt you?" His voice was dangerously low, and Nesta took a moment to consider what to say, how to calm him,

"It was a long time ago, before I even knew you, any of you, it's fine."

"Nesta, who?" His voice had softened slightly, but the urge to protect, to kill anyone who had hurt her was still there, the Illyrian was in charge, not Cassian, not the male she loved, even if she would only admit it to him, she loved him. But this, this wasn't him, this was just his raw, male instinct to protect. "That human boy?" She didn't respond, tears brimming in her eyes at the memory, the sound of her tearing dress, the sting of pain across her face. "I'll kill him, I'll kill him."

"No! Cass, please. Don't go." She lunged forwards, gripping his hand tightly, "Don't go." She repeated. "He's not worth it, don't bother."

"He hurt you." Cassian's eyes flicked between her and the door, between her and the way to someone who had hurt her. 

"Don't go." She repeated, almost whispering, and stepped closer, pressing herself into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. She didn't know why she was protecting Tomas, but she knew that if Cassian left, any attack planned would be instantaneous, and he would be in danger on his way back.

"I'm not going anywhere." He said, and the words were entirely his own as he held her, one hand cradling her head against his chest, the other around her waist.

"You're an idiot." She mumbled, her face still buried in his chest, "So overprotective."

"Can you blame me? He should have know what he had when he had you." He tipped her head up to look at him, and brushed a thumb over her cheekbone, "You're really okay?"

"Yes, Cass, I'm perfectly fine. And in the possession of plenty of vital information." She pushed him back down onto the couch, and he landed with a huff, complaining that she was going kill him someday, "Oh, shush." She swatted him lightly, and crawled into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, humming contentedly when he held her against him. His breath warmed her neck, and he pressed a light kiss just beneath her ear, nuzzling her neck, earning a sigh of approval.

She leaned back against him, turning her head to kiss him properly, barely holding back a moan when his tongue swept into her mouth, claiming, convincing himself that she truly was safe.

"Now. Ironcrest." She was still breathing heavily when she spoke, Cassian noted with a glimmer of male satisfaction, "Most of the males are supporting him, but only a few of the females, if we can get them involved, they should be able to disrupt the normal order of the camp. Just-" She broke off as he kissed her again,

"I don't care, not right now."

"But-"

"Tell me later. If that's okay?" He added quickly, suddenly worried that she didn't want to be kissed, but she lifted her head again, her hands diving into his hair, tugging lightly, pulling him in,

"Yeah, we can talk later it you want." A glimmer of amusement shone in her eyes, "You males and your overprotectiveness. I see why Feyre calls Rhys a mother-hen, clearly you all do it." He frowned slightly, and opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him with another kiss, "I suppose I could get used to it."


End file.
